Nanumi Bae: Snow White Pressed Pennies

Pressed (or elongated) coins--particularly pennies--have been an inexpensive form of souvenir for Disney Park visitors since the coin machines first started appearing in 1987.

A pressed coin is created when a coin is squeezed between two rollers, one of which has an engraving on it's surface. Approximately, 2500 pounds of pressure is put on the coin as it is flattened. These pressed coin machines feature designs containing Disney characters, theme parks, attractions and special events. Each machine contains either one, three or four different designs. Source: presscoins.com

In the late 1980's there were only a few Disney press machines and only at Disneyland in Anaheim. In 1992 (or 1994 depending on who you talk to), the first penny machine appeared at Walt Disney World in Orlando followed in 1996 at Tokyo Disneyland, 2005 Hong Kong Disneyland and 2006 Disneyland Paris. Machine and die images copyrighted pressedpennies.

Read a recent post on the Disneyland coin machines by Michelle Harker from the Disney Parks blog.

And now, here's a few of the Snow White pennies that have been retired and are no longer available at the parks:

Three Disneyland coins...

Horizontal SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS 1937 - 50TH ANNIVERSARY -1987. This die was made by Frank Brazzell (small initials "FB" on coin). Coins were used/issued/sold by Ewell Gunther in stamp and coin sets that were made in low numbers for collectors. Coins were probably not Disney ordered, authorized or sanctioned...

Set of 9 Disneyland coins includes Snow White, the Old Witch and the Dwarfs. Hand engraved by Jimmy Vargas, Master Engraver at Eurolink. All retired between 1999 and 2004. Six seen below..

Below Left: Snow White coin from the In Character Costume Shop at Disney's Hollywood Studio. Right: Snow White coin from the Game Point Arcade at All-Star Sports Resort...

Below Left: Wicked Witch coin retired November 1996. Machine was located in the lobby of the Country Bear Jamboree, Critter Country, Disneyland. Right: Evil Queen, Disneyland. Introduced March 2003, retired March 2004...

From 1987, 50th Anniversary of the Snow White Premiere; Used in collector issue PNC (Philatelic Numismatic Combinations. A combination of stamp and coin, generally on a First Day of Issue cachet (envelope) for either coin or stamp)...

Doc, Happy, Sleepy, Sneezy, Dopey, all introduced July 2004, retired May 2005. Grumpy, Bashful, Snow White on stage February 2004 to May 2005. All were located at some point in the Main Street Penny Arcade, Disneyland...